French Cafés as social institutions

February 2, 2012 by 17jacobsn

JAMES & NERISSA

Le Café De La Paix

Feburary 2nd 2012

Madamme Maeda

Historical Background of Café de la Paix?

The Café de la Paix was designed by Charles Garnier and was opened on June 30th, 1862, to serve the Grand-Hôtel de la Paix. In the time when the café was built, Napoleon III wanted to make changes in the whole architecture of Paris. This café is also the setting of a poem “The Absinthe Drinker” written by Robert service.

Names of the famous people who frequented your café.

Jules Massenet, Émilie Zola and Guy de Maupassant all visited the Café de la Paix. During the Belle Époque, visitors to the Café included Sergei Diaghilev, and the Prince of Wales and future King of the United Kingdom, Edward VII.

The reason or purpose for these people to go to Café de la paix. Did they have a particular activity going on in this café.

The famous people who went to the café de la Paix are artists. Jules Massenet was a French composer, Émilie Zola and Guy de Maupassant they were both writers and also friends. I think they enjoyed being in this café and could relax to get inspired for new ideas.

Has your café been at the origin of some changes in french society?Has it had any impact on any impact on any aspect of French society?

As I said Napoleon III wanted to make changes in the whole architecture of Paris. He ordered that most of the buildings of Paris should be knocked down. He wanted to build impressive buildings. Before there were wide avenues replaced small curvy roads, and them. In this time when all the changes were made the café de la paix was also build. In this time Paris was very well known by composers, writers or visual artists. These artists liked to come to Paris to meet other artists to exchange ideas. That’s why the French society existed by many artists.

Is this café playing the same role nowadays and why/why not?

The café was once a very elegant and special place with very nice interiors and frescoed walls. With the time it was very hard to keep up the elegance of the Café. In 2003 café and hotel was completely resorted. Nowadays the hotel only has half the number of rooms.

If you can have access to some figures, would you say that the number of cafés in France is generally increasing or decreasing? How would you explain this trend? What future developments can we foresee? Are there any new types of cafés that you are aware of?

The number of café’s in France is decreasing. In the 1880’s in Paris there were about 45,000 cafés. Nowadays in Paris there are only 7000 cafés left. I think that a lot of cafés are closing because a lot of people nowadays don’t have as much time than before because both the couples and parents are working long hours. I don’t think that all the cafés would shut down. The cafés are still relaxing place for the French people and also for the tourists. A lot more cafés nowadays are changing their look to try and catch younger people and hipper crowds. There are three Starbucks in Paris and this is a very modern and American style.

French cafés have existed for more than three hundred years. What is it that makes cafés still a popular tradition? Explore several aspects of your café and report on its location, its atmosphere, its menu and prices. From your results, what would you say contributes to making it a popular place?

Cafés are a relaxing and an enjoyable place to drink some coffee or tea, also to meet other people or getting inspired as an artist. The café is located at the “Place de l’Opéra” and it is in the 9th arrondissement. The café is still very famous and the atmosphere is still very luxurious. That’s why the prices are quite high which you can see on the menu. The café is restored and has a nice atmosphere so it is still very popular for the French and also visitors. The terrace is a good place to sit and watch people walking along the street.

Menu at the Café de la Paix:

This is the first part of the dinner menu.